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NEEDLE LADY WON'T MAKE NEIGHBORHOOD BETTER PLACE TO LIVE

I'm getting pretty sick and tired of hearing, "Things could have been
worked out without an ordinance prohibiting the needle lady on our city
streets."

Has everyone forgotten that it was they who snuck into our neighborhood
without having the courtesy to initiate a so-called dialogue? Did they
choose to speak to any of the neighborhood association people? No. Did they
choose to speak to any of the old timers living there? No. The only people
they chose to speak to were the drug dealers and users. Don't try to make
us out as the uninformed villains. We have a bigger stake in this than they
ever will have.

We're the ones desperately working to preserve our neighborhood, not
destroy it. We want viable people and businesses to move back into our
area, not drug houses. We see it every day. We know if it brings more
undesirables here or not. We're not quoting from some book or paper of
statistics, because we know that numbers can be made to look any way you
want them to.

All we're asking for is a decent neighborhood that's peaceful and tranquil,
a good place to raise a family in. The needle lady sure won't help us
accomplish that.

LaVetta Ricca

Peoria